Stigmatization Caused by Hair Loss – A Systematic Literature Review

The systematic literature review from 2020 analyzed the stigmatization experienced by individuals with hair loss, using 11 studies and the Hairdex questionnaire as a common assessment tool. The findings indicated that hair loss leads to significant stigmatization and quality of life impairment, with women and those with diffuse alopecia reporting higher levels of stigma. The review also found that the level of stigma in hair loss could be comparable to that in conditions like acne vulgaris, depression, and anxiety disorders, but more pronounced than in vitiligo. The impact of stigmatization varied across different types of hair loss and populations, with younger and less severely affected men with androgenetic alopecia reporting less stigma, while therapy-induced alopecia also caused notable social challenges. The review called for more research to understand the psychosocial burden of hair loss better and to develop high-quality, reproducible studies that can be compared across different conditions. It also highlighted the need for studies on minors and more specific research on stigmatization due to hair loss, noting the lack of longitudinal studies and the limited comparability of existing research due to methodological inconsistencies.